


Then, Now, Forever

by ChildOfSolace



Category: Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (2013)
Genre: Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-30 04:05:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15743922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChildOfSolace/pseuds/ChildOfSolace
Summary: Nick recalls his childhood days, childhood friend, and how different he is now and yet, still so very the same.Both a prequel and sequel for my other Natsby ficStart of Us.





	1. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young Nick and James's separation

**[10 years ago]**

_"Whaaaat? We're not coming back next year?"_

_"Or the year after that," Mrs. Carraway said sadly, stroking her son's hair. "we can't afford it. This was just a treat, because Daisy really wanted to spend time with you this summer."_

_Nick whined, his eyes filling with tears, "But... but... James..."_

_"You can make new friends, can't you? And what about your cousin? You like her, right?"_

_Nick pouted, "Not the same... like James better..."_

__

**──────────────────────────────────────────────────**

__

"Niiiiick! You come here right this instance, it's time to go home!"

_"Nooo! Not until you promise we can keep coming back here every summer!"_

_James reached out to Nick, "Nicky, be careful, you could fall off the boat..."_

_"James, row back right now." Mr. Gatz called out. "It's about to rain!"_

_James cupped his hands to his mouth, yelling back. "Can't! Nick has the oars, he won't give 'em up!"_

_"Do..." Nick pouted, hugging the oars to his chest. "do you want me to give them?"_

_James looked at him from the corner of his eye, "No, but gotta pretend I do..."_

_"Nicholas Carraway, you come here at the count of three, or so help me , I'm going to..."_

_A loud crack of thunder interrupts, and almost instantly, the downpour of water was heavy upon them, instantly stirring the previously still waters. James widened his eyes and Nick started crying even more. The older of the two reached out to Nick, immediately getting him to sit down._

_"Give me the oars, Nick!" James order, "Hurry!"_

_Nick nods, handing them over, but since his hands were slicked from the downpour he lost hold of one of them. "Ah! Sorry!"_

_James frets, handing back the other oar to the brunette and tried reaching out for the oar that was quickly drifting away. "Almost... got it... just a little... ah!" he tumbles out of the boat._

_"JAMES!"_

__

**──────────────────────────────────────────────────**

_"No, no, no! They're taking him away, I gotta go to him, no!"_

_Mrs. Carraway sighed, frustrated and tired as fastened her son in while they waited for Mr. Carraway to return, handling some paper works and such offering the Gatz family whatever financial support they can manage to provide._

_"Nick, really, you need to stop." she scolded, "do you understand that your friend wouldn't have been at risk of drowning if you hadn't been selfish?"_

_"What?" Nick looks up, blinking as tears continued to spill down his eyes. "my fault?"_

_Mrs. Carraway nods, giving her son a light, scolding punch on top of his head. "That's why you must never misbehave."_

_"Never misbehave..." Nick repeats sadly, "... I'm sorry mommy... sorry James..." he whined._

_**Sorry...** _


	2. Old Buddies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some truth comes to light

In the end, Nick end up calling home to spend more time with his _new friend_. Although, it seemed like it wasn't as new as he thought. Right now, they were seated on the carpet floor of Jay's room. Jay sat across from Nick, and stayed quiet, waiting for Nick to speak first, figuring that it seemed like the other boy was still processing this.

"This is a dream right? I mean..." Nick swallowed thickly, "I... I saw you die... you... you drowned and..."

Jay frowned, reaching over to take Nick's hand but thought better of it, settling to give it a reassuring pat instead. "I... understand how, you know, one would make that mistake... especially considering our age that time, I think any kid would think someone unconscious and taken away by an ambulance meant they were dead. But it's really me, I'm alive."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Nick's suddenly angry, "I... I had fucking nightmares after that day, I had to talk to an expensive therapist that aunt and uncle had to _generously_ offer their financial support."

James frowns, "I wanted to, believe me, god, did I want to. But we were young, we didn't have cell phones yet, and I never thought to ask for your address so I could write to you."

"That is...." Nick grumbles before sighing deeply. "A fair point."

Jay rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "So... are you still... like, mad at me or something?"

"For the moment, I don't know how to feel. I'm talking to a ghost from my past... and it's freaky that that's almost literal." Nick deadpans, "You're supposed to be dead, damn it."

Jay pouted, crossing his arms. "You keep saying that; I'm starting to think that you would prefer it."

"No, that's not... just..." Nick groaned, ruffling his own hair furiously. "this... it's a lot to take in."

Jay nods in understanding, "Okay, I get that. Let's take it one step at a time. First, what have we established?"

"Well, we established you're not dead. How... well, I'm just going to assume that the doctors managed to save you after all."

Jay smiles, almost proud. "Assumed correctly, Old buddy. Even then, I thought you were gonna be pretty smart."

"Don't do that."

"Huh?"

"Now that I know who you really are, hearing you call me that is just..." Nick shakes his head, "for a lack of better term, I'd say awkward. It's awkward. Got a decent name, use it."

Jay raises a brow, "I don't think it's awkward at all."

"It is," Nick protests, "cause that's not what you called me."

Jay smirks. "Are you saying that you still call your mom _mommy_?"

"I..." Nick pauses, chagrined. "that's not the point. Just... stop."

"It didn't bother you when I first used it."

Nick crossed his arms, looking at Jay accusingly, "Well, that was before when I thought it was some kind of rich person quirk, and maybe it is. But if it is, and even if you are rich now, all it's making me think right now is that you lied to me."

"Hang on, I never lied to you."

Nick raised a brow, "And what was your exchange with Wolfe?" he made air quotes, " _Business break through_ was it? And the fact that you never told me that you were the James of my past?"

"I... didn't technically lie to you about that. It just, you know, never came up."

Nick narrowed his eyes. "A half truth still constitutes as a lie, you know." he frowned. "I don't understand why you couldn't just tell me."

"Because I'm not the James of your past, not anymore. It's the present." Jay said resolutely. "And I've come so far for you to be remembered as mere James Gatz."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Nick raised a brow, "and what... how is this for me?"

Jay looked at Nick right at the eye, reaching out to take his hand. "I love you, Nick."

"You... Love.... Wait, wait, what?" Nick gapes, trying to decide if he was more surprised than flustered. "What the hell... We just... Well, maybe not _just_ met but... But... We don't know each other well, at least, not anymore. We were kids then, and now we're in High School. Ten years is a pretty long gap, a lot of time to change, and... And... I thought you were dead for the most part..."

"It doesn't matter."

Nick narrowed his eyes, "Don't you tell me it doesn't matter when, of course, it does! Seriously, how can you easily proclaim your love to me when we haven't seen each other in years? That doesn't make any sense."

"Love usually doesn't though," Jay shrugs, "to answer your _how_ question, well, it's you, Nick. No matter what kind of person you turned out to be, I knew I'd still love you. After I came home from the hospital, I tried getting my parents to contact you, to send word to let you know that I was okay, but they wouldn't have it." he frowned.

"This..." Nick blushed at the way he was being looked at, unable to keep his eyes on the other. So his eyes kept shifting, "this still doesn't explain how becoming _Jay Gatsby_ was for me."

"I remembered when we were kids, and you said you wanted to be rich so your parents wouldn't have a hard time anymore and so you could do whatever you want without them telling you _there wasn't enough money_ for it." Jay told him, "so I promised myself, if we ever meet again, I'd have to be richer. For you."

Nick frowns, covering his surely red face. "You're crazy, man..." he shakes his head.

"Maybe I am, or maybe you could say I'm an optimist or a dreamer."

Nick rolled his eyes, "Yes, to both."

"Fair enough," Jay chuckled, before looking at Nick adoringly.

Nick coughed and cleared his throat, embarrassed. He was used to playing the role of a _lame loser_ , so having anyone interested him was definitely new to him. "How did you even get this rich? You won the lottery or something?"

"You wouldn't believe me."

Nick narrowed his eyes, "Right now, I'm still trying to believe that you actually like me..."

"Well, then maybe I'll tell you once you start believe that," Jay smirked, "Anyway, you don't have to respond to my feelings right now. But... just promise me, you'll consider it."

Nick rubbed the back of his neck shyly. "You mean... like courtship?" he asked. "sounds a bit old school..."

"Well, we are old buddies," Jay tries for a grin. "and besides... I've waited all this time to meet you again, I can certainly wait longer for something more to happen between us."

Nick blushed, looking away. "Um, I'm..." he swallowed thickly, "uh, good job making it big in life, and whatever... And I guess, thanks, since you did it for me. But fair warning, I'm really not all that much worth you think I am. The only thing noteworthy I remember about myself when I was a kid is that I had a big imagination... which got us in trouble most of the time."

"I'm pretty sure that half those ideas were mine," Jay chuckled, "and I'll say it again, I'll always end up loving the person you are and turn out to be."

Nick shakes his head, "I will reiterate; you're crazy."

"Crazy for you, and I'm not taking that as a bad thing at all," Jay decides to chance it and leaned over to kiss Nick on the forehead.

Nick's cheeks felt hot and he pinched his eyes shut in embarrassment, _Oh, fuck it..._ he sighs, resigned and leaned his forehead tentatively on Jay's shoulder. "Oh, have it your way, Casanova; knock yourself out. Woo me."

"With pleasure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be chapter 5 for _Start of Us_ but I decided to make it the first chapter here to kick things off instead.


End file.
